Let’s take a look at three skaters to feature in an anytime goal-scorer parlay in the NHL on Wednesday night, which prices out at +1412 on bet365. I’d personally recommend also staking these anytime goal-scorer picks as a round-robin wager, allowing us to profit off hitting two of three of our goal-scorers finding the back of the net.
An anytime goal-scorer bet is one of the most popular and straightforward player prop wagers in NHL betting. It allows you to bet on a specific player to score a goal at any point during the game, whether it’s the first goal, last goal, or any goal in between. This bet type offers an exciting way to stay engaged with the game, as your selected player can score at any moment to cash your bet.
Nick’s AGS parlay
Valeri Nichushkin (+175)
On a roster offering several of the game’s absolute best players, it’s easy to forget just how good Nichushkin is when he is at his best. With Martin Necas confirmed to be out once again for Wednesday’s matchup versus the San Jose Sharks, Nichushkin appears to likely to remain on the top line alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen, which makes him an appealing target in the prop market.
Nichushkin skated in the same role in Monday’s matchup versus the Detroit Red Wings, but in a game where the Avalanche managed zero goals and only 21 shots on goal, and he had a very quiet evening a result.
It’s hard to imagine Wednesday’s matchup looking similar to Monday’s game, and I’m expecting MacKinnon, Nichushkin and the rest of Avs’ top stars to respond with a much more productive performance in their final matchup before the start of the Olympic break.
As you would expect, the MacKinnon, Lehkonen, and Nichushkin unit has dominated the opposition this season. They hold a 69.1% expected goal share and have generated 3.72 xGF/60 across 104.8 minutes of play.
The Sharks have surprised in hanging around in the playoff race, but their defensive play remains highly unconvincing. They hold a thin defensive core and are still offering several below-league-average forwards regular minutes, and Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar should be able to cherry-pick some highly favourable matchups for his top line on home ice in this matchup with last change.
In 14 games since January 1st, the Sharks have allowed 3.71 xGA/60, and they have allowed 3.48 goals against per game this season.
Over the last five games, Nichushkin has generated 2.49 individual expected goals, and it seems likely that he will end up with numerous high-quality looks in this favourable matchup once again, considering his current role.
Leon Draisaitl (+120)
The final edition of the Battle of Alberta of the season will take place Wednesday, as the Calgary Flames host the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton is just 1-1-1 in the first three meetings of the season, and it does seem reasonable to believe Calgary can hang around in this matchup, in which it is priced at +115 and features a total of 6.5 goals.
We have seen on numerous occasions over the last several seasons that when the Battle of Alberta is competitive, head coach Kris Knoblauch will offer huge minutes to McDavid and Draisaitl. McDavid skated 26:39 in the Oilers’ 3-2 loss to Calgary on December 27th, while Draisaitl played 24:23.
If the Oilers do generate a meaningful lead to help allow more modest usage from their dynamic duo, it seems quite probable that lead will revolve around offence from the pair. Either way, I like our chances that Draisaitl and McDavid will make an impact in this matchup after a quiet evening on Tuesday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Draisaitl has tallied four goals in the first three meetings of the season versus the Flames and has put up 69 points in 51 regular season games versus the Flames historically. Calgary’s defensive play has fallen off recently, as it has allowed 3.73 xGA/60 over the last 10 matchups.
The Flames will surely be well motivated to clean things up in this matchup, which most fans would agree is their most important game left on the schedule, but it’s still a big ask for a below-average defensive team to keep Draisaitl and McDavid in check.
Draisaitl has put up seven goals and 21 points over the last 12 games. It’s not like we need to buy into the narrative that he loves playing versus the rival Flames to argue that a price of +120 for Draisaitl to score looks solid given his recent form, but it also does seem to be a narrative that holds some merit.
Pavel Dorofeyev (+150)
Betting Dorofeyev to record over 2.5 shots on goal at -120 made the cut for our player props piece, and I’m eager to double-dip on Dorofeyev by also backing him to score to round out our parlay. Dorofeyev has recorded 59 goals over his last 137 regular season games and continues to fly under the radar as an elite goal-scorer.
Dorofeyev’s current roles suggest he should remain, at worst, similarly productive based on his excellent shooting abilities and elite one-timer. Dorofeyev will likely remain alongside Mitch Marner and Mark Stone in Wednesday’s matchup versus the Vancouver Canucks, and he is a natural fit alongside two highly intelligent playmakers. His one-timer also remains the number-one option on the Knights’ strong top power-play unit.
Dorofeyev was targeted on several cross-crease plays that did not quite connect in Sunday’s matchup versus the Anaheim Ducks, and easily could have had a much more productive evening. The Canucks’ penalty kill has been a disaster recently, killing off just 57.1% of penalties taken over the last 15 games, while they have allowed the most goals against per game in the NHL this season.
Dorofeyev has scored seven goals over the last 12 games, and it seems likely that in his current roles he will continue to score at a high rate, and a price of +150 for him to score in an ideal matchup on home ice looks like a great option to round out our parlay.
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